Door or shutter.



H. T. MOODY.

DOOR 0R SHUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED MA'R.22,1912.

Patented Feb. 11, 1913.

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H. T. MOODY.

DOOR OR SHUTTER.

. APPLICATION FILED 111111.22, 1912.

Patented Feb. 11, 1913.

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HENRY T. MOODY, OF NEWBURYPORT, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO VICTOR MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF NEWBURYPORT, MASSACHUSETTS.

DOOR OR SHUTTER.

Application filed March 22, 1912.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY T. MOODY, of Newburyport, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, a citizen of the United States, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Doors or Shutters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, in explaining its nature.

My invention relates to an improvement in doors or shutters and especially to an arrangement whereby the doors or shutters may be brought automatically to a closed position in case of fire.

The essential object of my invention is to provide an automatic arrangement whereby an overbalancing weight carried by a chain secured to the door may operate to close the door in case of fire, but which weight is normally held by the chain in an inoperative raised position, the chain being so normally secured as to support the weight in such position and in a manner also whereby neither the chain nor the weight nor any other part of the connecting mechanism will operate normally to have any effect whatever upon the door so that the door may be opened, closed or left in any open position in the same manner as an ordinary door.

My invention can best be seen and understood by reference to the drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan showing the door and mechanism embodying my invention applied thereto, the plan being from a pointof observation above the door, the mechanism being shown in an inoperative position. Fig. 2 shows the door and connecting mechanism in front elevation, the parts occupying the same relative positions as those shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan of the door and connecting mechanism embodying my inventlon, the parts being observed from a point above the same and the mechanism being shown in an operative position for closing the door. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the same parts shown in Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings :-1 represents an ordinary hinged door. 2 represents the walls surrounding the door and which for the purposes of this description includes also the casing in which the door is set. Secured to the door at a point near the top edge thereof and preferably near the front Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 11, 1913.

Serial No. 685,418.

projects outwardly and upwardly to a point above the door. Connecting with this bracket is a chain 4 which renders over pulleys 5 and 6 and bears upon its end an overpulley 5 is secured to the casing of the door or wall 2 at a point just above the door and preferably just inwardly from and adjacent the bracket 3 secured to it. The pulley 6 secured to the wall 2 beyond the rear side of the door in a manner whereby the pulley will lie some little distance above the top edge of the door. The chain t after passing 7 by passing through an opening 10 in the shelf of the bracket.

The relative disposition and arrangement of the parts thus far described is such that the chain 4 to draw the door which it controls to a closed position. In the normal arrangement of the parts, however, the weight 7 is maintained in a raised position beneath the shelf 8 thereof substantially as shown in Fig. 2, and this is effected in the following manner :The weight 7 is first manually raised to the position indicated,

length of the chain is such that this slack may be taken up by a loop formed in the chain between the bracket 3 and the pulley 5 which loop is preferably of sufficient the door. A bight 11, however is formed in the chain above the door and preferably at a point in alinement with the axis of the door and the chain is taken up and releasably held at the point of this bight by a suitable device and in a manner whereby the parts 12 and 13 of the chain, or those parts which extend from the bight around the pulleys 5 and 6 to connect with the weight, will hold the weight in a raised position while the slack portion 14 of the chain will extend from the point of the bight 11 to the bracket 3 connecting with the door.

The device l have provided for taking up and holding the chain at the point of the bight 11 in it comprises a gripping mechanism 15. This mechanism consists essentially of a lever having a power or operating arm 16 and a work arm or aw 17 made in edge of the door is a bracket 3. This bracket 1 balancing weight 7. Of these pulleys the j;

is mounted upon a shelf 8 of a bracket 9 over the pulley 6 connects with the weight 1.

the overbalancing weight 7 will act through i adjacent the body of the bracket 9 and'just 1 thereby leaving slack in the chain 4;. The

length to extend beyondthe inner edge of v the form of a hook. The lever is mounted upon a bracket 18 which has extended therefrom spaced flanges 19 forming a housing and between which the lever is pivotally mounted to turn at the point 20. Extending also between the flanges 19 forming the housing is a pin 21, the arrangement of which relatively to the jaw 17 of the lever is such that when the bight 11 in the chain is introduced between the flanges 19 of the housing to bear against the pin 21 the lever may be drawn to a position where the end of its arm or j aw 17 will engage the bight in the chain and hold the same gripped between the end of the lever and the pin 21, the chain being thus taken up and held. The lever is releasably held in its engaging position by means of a. chain or other suitable connection 22. This chain is secured to the power arm 16 of the lever by extending the inner end of the chain through a loop 23 secured to the bracket18 bearing the lever, and providing the end of the chain thus extending with a ring 24: which slips over the end of the lever arm 16, the arrangement of the parts being such that when the chain or connection 22 is drawn taut the consequent draft upon the lever will act to hold the same in its engaging position. The chain 22 thus holding the lever may be extended to any part of the building in which the door to be controlled is located and fixedly but releasably maintained in any suitable manner. For purposes of illustration I have shown the outer end of the chain or connection 22 extended to connect with a fusible link 26 which is fixed to the wall 2 above the door, the formation of this link being such that in case of fire the link will become disconnected releasing the connection 22.

The normal disposition and arrangement of the parts is as above described, and it will be observed that the overbalancing weight is so held by the chain that it neither retards the opening of the door or affects its closing. Moreover the chain is held in an out-of-theway position excepting that portion 1 1 of the chain which turns with the door and this has no effect upon it so that the door may be opened or closed or left at any open position as occasion may require in the manner of an ordinary door.

In case of fire a change in the parts immediately takes place. Assuming that the door is open and that the heat has fused and broken the fusible link 26 thereupon the connection 22 becomes released and acts no longer to hold the lever of the gripping mechanism 15 in an engaging position, the turning of the lever releasing the chain. The overbalancing weight 7 being no longer sup ported, will upon the release of the chain take up the slack therein and through the chain act to draw the door to a closed position.

In order that the overbalancing weight may not break away from the end of the chain as it is abruptly let fall I prefer to provide the weight with a compression spring 27 located within it. The upper end of this spring bears against a shoulder 28 formed within the weight. The chain & passes through the weight and coil of the spring and is secured to the lower end thereof with-the effect that as the weight falls the spring will be compressed and act as a buffer to the weight, thereby breaking its abrupt fall. A further advantage of the spring resides in the fact that when the weight 7 is in an inoperative position bearing against the shelf 10, as shown in Fig. 2, the spring will act to take up any slack which may remain in the port-ions 4 and 12 of the chain after the gripping mechanism has engaged the bight therein; in other words, the gripping mechanism is preferably made to hold the chain at a point where a slight tension will be effected upon the spring through the parts 12 and 13 of the chain with the effect that these parts when the overbalancing weight is in an inoperative position, will be held taut.

In connection with the advantages of the present apparatus it is especially to be noted that the overbalancing weight may be located in any. convenient position relatively to the door on which account the weight, if desired, may be concealed within the casing of the door.

A further very practical advantage of the apparatus is that it is practically noiseless.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. The combination with a movable door or shutter, of an overbalancing weight, a flexible connection running between said door or shutter and said weight, means for supporting and guiding said flexible connection whereby said weight let fall from a raised position mav close said door or shutter and whereby also slack may be formed in sald flexible connection when said weight is in a raised position irrespective of the open or closed position of said door or shutter, and a releasable means for taking up and holding the slack in said flexible connection the 'same being adapted and arranged whereby supporting and guiding said flexible connection whereby said weight let fall from a raised position may close said door or shutter and whereby also slack may be formed in said flexible connection when said weight is in a raised position irrespective of the open or closed position of said door or shutter, a releasable device for taking up and holding the slack in said flexible connection when said weight is in a raised position whereby a portion of said flexible connection connecting with said door may move passively therewith and said door be uncontrolled by said weight.

3. The combination with a movable door or shutter, an overbalancing weight, a flexible connection running between said door or shutter and said weight, means for supporting and guiding said flexible connection whereby said weight let fall from a raised position may close said door or shutter, and whereby also slack may be formed in said flexible connection when said weight is maintained in a raised position irrespective of the open or closed position of said door, a releasable device for taking up and holding the slack in said flexible connection when said weight is in a raised position whereby said device through a portion of said flexible connection running to said weight may hold the same in its raised position irrespective of the open or closed positions of said door and whereby also another portion of said flexible connection running to connect with said door may move passively therewith and said door be uncontrolled by said weight, and means for controlling said releasable device to release said slack as occasion may require.

4. The combination with a movable door or shutter, of an overbalancing weight, a flexible connection running between said door or shutter and said weight, means for supporting and guiding said flexible connection whereby said weight let fall from a raised position may close said door or shutter, and whereby also slack may be formed in said flexible connection when said weight is maintained in a raised position irrespective of the open or closed position of said door or shutter, said means comprising in part a pulley arranged adjacent to said door and from which said flexible connection runs to connect with said door, a releasable means for taking up and holding the slack in said flexible connection between said door and said pulley whereby that portion of the flexible connect-ion running between said releasable slack holding means and said door may move passively with said door and said door be uncontrolled by said weight.

5. The combination with a movable door or shutter, of an overbalancing weight, a flexible connection running between said door or shutter and said weight, means for supporting and guiding said flexible connection whereby said weight let fall from a raised position may close said door or shutter, and whereby also slack may be formed in said flexible connection when said weight is maintained in a raised position irrespective of the open or closed position of said door or shutter, said means comprising in part a pulley arranged adjacent to said door and from which said flexible connection runs to connect with said door, a releasable gripping device adapted to have engagement with said flexible connection in that portion thereof running between said pulley and said door for taking up and holding sa1d slack whereby that portion of said flexible connection running between said releasable gripping device and said door may move passively with said door and said door be uncontrolled by said Weight, and means for maintaining said gripping device in an engaging position, the same comprising a releasable connect-ion running to a point of retention removed.

from said gripping device.

HENRY T. MOODY.

Witnesses:

HAROLD A. Bnssn, CHARLES E. HOUGHTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

